Carved Giltwood Landscape Mirror with Candle Sconces

• Circa - A Latin term meaning 'about', often used in the antique trade to give an approximate date for the piece, usually considered to be five years on either side of the circa year. Thus, circa 1900 means the piece was made about 1900, probably between 1895 and 1905. The expression is sometimes abbreviated to c.1900.
• Griffin / Griffon / Gryphon - A griffin, also known as a griffon or gryphon, is a mythical creature with the body of a lion and the head of an eagle. It is typically depicted as a powerful and majestic beast, with the body and legs of a lion and the head, wings, and talons of an eagle. The griffin is widely recognized as a symbol of strength, courage, and guardianship, and has been used in a variety of cultures throughout history.
  
  In ancient mythology, the griffin was often associated with the gods and was considered a symbol of divine power. In ancient Greece, for example, the griffin was associated with the sun god Helios, while in ancient Egypt, it was associated with the goddess Hathor. In medieval European heraldry, the griffin was used as a symbol of strength, valour, and protection, and was often featured on the coats of arms of noble families.
• Acanthus - A stylized leaf motif, one of the primary decorative elements of classical Greek and Roman architecture, derived from the genus of flowering plants in the family Acanthaceae, native to tropical and subtropical regions of the Mediterranean area. It is a common element in classical Greek and Roman design, and is often seen in Corinthian and Composite order columns and used as a decorative element in English, European and Australian furniture, particularly on the curve of a leg, and as decoration for a corbel.
• Giltwood - Giltwood is used to describe a gold finish on furniture and other decorative wooden items, whereby a thin sheet of gold metal, called gold leaf, is applied to the surface for decorative purposes.
  
  Unlike gilding, where the gold leaf is applied over a coating of gesso, with giltwood the gold leaf is applied direct to the surface, or over a coat of linseed oil gold leaf adhesive.
  
  Most gold-finished mirrors will be gilded, whereas furniture with gold highlights will have the gold applied through the giltwood method.

This item has been included into following indexes:

• mirrors, wall, material - iron, brass bronze and other metal 158
• mirrors, wall, period, age or style
  • Georgian 166
  • with candle holders (girandole) 45